Early American explorer, William Keating wrote "The monotony of a prairie country impresses the traveler with a melancholy, which the sight of water and woods cannot fail to remove" in response to the open prairies and rolling hills of the uncultivated Great American Prairie in the heartland.

     Farmhouses were designed to work with open space and acreage. Originally, one room was built at a time, lived in and others were added as lifestyle required. For this reason, the American Farmhouse provides an open floor plan where life can simply overflow into the next activity. Wood (lap) siding was common for the exteriors with simple gable rooflines and double hung windows adorned with shutters. Large porches became added living space when weather permitted. Inside the home, traditional but simple details prevail around the windows and doors.